Francis Anthony B.

Losloso Oncology Nursing

MAN-AHN September 3, 2019

Article: The role of Advanced Practice Providers in interdisciplinary oncology care

in the United States
Source/ URL: Chinese Clinical Oncology
http://cco.amegroups.com/article/view/10388/11240?
fbclid=IwAR14Ce1uJ9e6UMTzQvhuOYUnZbegxjER66AX8UQIdhKhGcRY-4XQPYWda
RU

Synthesis:
Advanced Practice Nursing contributes a great impact in the profession wherein
developing specialties in the clinical areas of nursing provides high quality nursing care
to patients due to mastery of a certain knowledge, skills and attitudes towards the field.
In the field of oncology, nurses have special role in terms of cancer screening and
prevention programs. Due to shortage of physicians specializing in the field of oncology,
there is an increase in cancer incident wherein advanced practice nurses will be able to
help addressing concerns in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team. APNs may be
able to contribute in screening and prevention services wherein recommendations of
diagnostic procedures immediately like physicians and providing health teachings may
be executed.

In my area of expertise, in the department of head and neck surgery I am

exposed to several oncologic cases such as tongue squamous cell carcinoma, basal
cell carcinoma, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma etc. I was able to catch up and level
my knowledge and skills like physicians in diagnosing and managing these kinds of
patients. As an adult health specialists, it is my responsibility to further look into my
patients holistically since their physicians focuses more on treating them medically and
surgically. Undergoing surgical intervention in major parts of their body such as head
and neck may change their perception in life fully specially their body image. Having
free-flap or PMMF that can be seen by other people, tracheostomy tube that may impair
their voice, those patients who has a talent in singing that won’t be able to sing anymore
and masses that may change the structure of their head may result to poor self-esteem.
Being able to recommend cancer screening to them and for their relatives, good oral
hygiene, letting them verbalize to cope up with their physical deformities, health
teachings and continuously providing support by being available to talk may help them
improve their conditions and may lessen/slow their chances of having/progressing
cancer.

Physicians may have limited time to focus on each patients so APNs may
facilitate symptom management, appropriately diagnosing patient, proper survivorship
and surveillance, provision of palliative or end of life care, acute, community and care in
tertiary practice setting, reviewing of referrals and directing patients to appropriate clinic
for initial evaluation. All of these may be done in collaboration with the medical team to
further facilitate treatment decisions, oversee coordination of care, planning of follow-up
visits. Early diagnosis is they key responsibility of being an APN.